Andrei Kirilenko leads his Russian team in minutes, points, rebounds and blocks. His 58.7% shooting mark ranks third on the team. He may not be the best player in the tournament but he is definitely the most important.

Russia’s defensive proficiency stems from his versatility and size. Their offense is buoyed by his efficiency and shot creating ability; even his unsuccessful jaunts to the rim are beneficial because they generally lead to free throw attempts. He’s averaging 7.5 free throw attempts through six games, besting every player in London.

The risks of Russia’s top heavy attack, though, entails a ton of volatility. If Kirlenko struggles, and Alexey Shved to a lesser extent, the Russians are unlikely to defeat anyone by sheer attrition. Russian head coach David Platt reiterated the importance of Kirilenko.

    ”Andrei is the greatest player in the history of Russian     basketball,” Platt said. “We are here of his own volition, guides us with his heart. In Russia, he is like     Michael Jordan for us. He is our best player, our greatest and our hard working leader. And with it all comes     from his heart.”

Russia will need Kirilenko to sustain his dominance — his presence isn’t merely limited to scoring as rebounding, blocking shots and putting the opposition into foul trouble are also prevalent in his game. That’s a lot to ask but the role isn’t too demanding for Kirilenko.

His country needs that from him after all.

July 24, 2012; Barcelona, SPAIN; USA former players Clyde Drexler (left) and David Robinson are introduced during an exhibition game against Spain in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Palau Sant Jordi. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

As the banter continues on the issue of The Dream Team vs. The (Potential) New Dream Team, we are becoming caught up with a comparison that is irrelevant in hindsight.

LeBron James and company aren’t vying for supremacy over Michael Jordan. Their actual goal is to defeat their competition so they can, you know, win a gold medal.

It’s that simple. Clyde Drexler, who was the 11th player selected for the legendary ’92 edition, advises this years squad to keep a level head and not take anything for granted.

    ”The great mistake of the United States will (be to) take things for granted and think their work is already     done,” Drexler said. “They are the best … and there are tough rivals such as Brazil or Argentina. And, of     course, the great rival of the United States: Spain, which has a team full of talent that has shown how well     they can play basketball.”

Drexler also addressed the historical significance of the ’92 team.

    ”I feel real privileged for being able to live and being able to join them,” Drexler said. “I think (we) changed     the history of basketball and sports, but I’ll be honest: at that point, in the day to day preparation, training     and parties you were not aware that we were making history. With the passage of time … you realize how     magical it was, what was unique.”